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Los Angeles is known for its sunny skies, celebrities and proximity to Disneyland. But there’s more to this West Coast capital than traipsing around amusement parks and hitting the beach. Whether you’ve been to La La Land a dozen times or it’s your first visit, here are five diverse options to jazz up your itinerary.

Not that there’s anything wrong with lounging poolside, as I might have done at the Intercontinental Century City.Intercontinental Century City

5 Awesome only in L.A. experiencesBack to video

Slide down an office building

Quite possibly the coolest thing to do in L.A. is barrel down a 13-metre, fully enclosed glass slide situated 300 metres above downtown Los Angeles. Did I mention the slide lies on the exterior of the iconic U.S. Bank Tower? This slide at OUE Skyspace is a hoot, but not all that scary. Fraidy cats (like yours truly) can totally do it.

When’s the last time you got an adrenaline rush inside an office tower?OUE Skyspace LA

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Additionally, there’s an interactive level with digital elements like an Infinity Mirror and Silhouette Wall that uses pixels to stimulate images based on your movements. Don’t overthink it, just know your kids and hashtag happy millennials will love it. The entire experience is similar to touring the Empire State Building, just newer and not as famous.

The views of Los Angeles from OUE Skyspace are second to none.OUE Skyspace LA

Travel tip: Try to visit OUE Skyspace around 4:30 p.m., so you can snag the sunset while sipping something decadent from the bar.

Shed some skin at a Korean spa

Koreatown is a dense, revitalized community that’s a trove of great eats, shopping and spas. To experience traditional Korean spa culture, look no further than Wi Spa, a 24/7 wellness facility. There’s no need to tote your own towel or bathing suit. Everything is provided for you, including what looks like a regulation gym uniform. Yep, all comrades wear the Wi Spa T-shirt and shorts into the co-ed saunas, which are tricked out with jade, pink sea salt and imported clay. Lots of families camp out here for the day, snoozing on mats and catching up with friends. It’s a total community hub.

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Sweat it out in this T and shorts provided to you at Wi Spa.Eve Pigat

In the sam-sex spa area, you’ll find your basic saunas, a series of hot baths (you’re wearing your birthday suit in those) and a relaxation lounge. Spa services are delivered in a separate room, but don’t expect privacy. You strip down right next to your neighbour to get pummelled with an oily massage or exfoliated with a pot scrubber. For real.

Go on a taco trek

Tacos are an integral part of L.A.’s identity. As long as the city has been in existence, locals and visitors have clustered together to scarf back delicious morsels enclosed in tortillas. With over 4,000 registered loncheras, a.k.a. taco tracks, roaming throughout Los Angeles, you’re spoiled for choice, but there are some standouts.

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For a rad happy hour and a twist on tacos, look to B.S. Taqueria.BS Taqueria

For a historic bite, step over to Olivera Street, where Mexican food gained its mainstream appeal at Cielito Lindo, a tiny stand that’s still in business today. Tip: Go for the beef taquitos drenched in avocado salsa. If you’re downtown, stop by B.S. Taqueria, a casual outpost with an excellent happy hour. Tacos here have inventive fillings such as crispy brussel sprouts, cauliflower romesco, olives and capers. Pretty much everything packs heat, so if you don’t fancy a drizzle of Valentina hot sauce on your guac, be sure to let your server know in advance. For an epiphany moment, finish off your meal with just-out-of-the-fryer churros dusted with cinnamon sugar.

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Examine Ice Age plants and animals

I bet you didn’t know the largest and most diverse collection of extinct Ice Age plants and animals in the world is found in the heart of Los Angeles. La Brea Tar Pits and Museum is home to a collection of five million fossils dating back 55,0000 years — all pulled up from the actual tar pits that lie outside the museum. It won’t take you long to walk through the indoor and outdoor exhibits (including working excavation sites), but it’s worth the visit, especially to admire the whole skeletons of a woolly mammoth, giant jaguar, plus hundreds of dire wolf skulls.

Stalk celebrities

There’s no denying L.A. is the entertainment capital of the world. Instead of ignoring it, embrace it by the exploring the homes, playgrounds and work environments of Hollywood’s rich and famous. Cruise by the abodes of several celebs who don’t live in gated communities, such as Charlize Theron, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and her nemesis Taylor Swift on Starline’s celebrity homes tour. You’ll also pass by the Playboy Mansion, the house where Michael Jackson died and the bathroom George Michael got arrested in.

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According to our Starline tour guide, this is Gwen Stefani’s pad.Jody Robbins

If you make it your mission to see all the Oscar-nominated films, than a tour of Dolby Theatre, home of the Academy Awards is a must. Tours are a brief 30 minutes, but it’s enough time to traipse through the theatre, get on stage (yes, you!) and backstage to find out what really goes on at the Oscars — plus American Idol and America’s Got Talent, which also film here.

To get an even more up close and personal experience with Hollywood, a studio tour is definitely in order. One of the best is the Warner Brothers Studio tour, where you stroll through real sets and sound stages. Both The Big Bang Theory and Ellen currently film on the Warner Brothers lot, and the Central Perk set from Friends has been preserved for fans to hang out in. It’s fascinating touring the backlots where NYC, Chicago and Paris are recreated, and there’s always a chance you could run into someone famous on their way to set.

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Travel tip: Just outside the Warner Brothers gates, lies an old school Hollywood restaurant, where Bob Hope and Bing Crosby used to dine. Nowadays, Smoke House is a favourite of George Clooney, who named his production company after it. Head here for the ambiance, cheesy garlic bread and thick cuts of prime rib. George’s favourite table is to the right of the bar, underneath the mural of Humphrey Bogart.

Where to stay in L.A.?

Situated behind the backlot of 20th Century Fox Studios, Intercontinental Los Angeles Century City is all about location. Not only is it steps away from a major Hollywood studio, it’s but a few blocks from Westfield Century City (the mall to end all malls) and just around the corner from Beverly Hills. This Four Diamond property sports a 24-hour gym, heated outdoor pool, plus panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills, downtown Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean from spacious, elegant guest rooms.

The location of the InterContinental Century City is tops and their rooms aren’t too shabby, either.InterContinental Century City

Have you recently visited Los Angeles? What are your favourite things to do there?

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